A rear pillar garnish or trim panel provides a decorative and protective means to cover multiple components, such as a small motor, wiring harnesses, clips, speakers, etc., mounted on a rear pillar of an automotive vehicle. These components, however, typically did not include an air bag. Conventional side curtain air bags extend longitudinally along a side roof rail but did not extend downwardly into the rear pillar. Thus, conventional rear pillar garnish assemblies were not designed to house an air bag. Specifically, the conventional rear pillar garnish assembly was not designed to effectively provide a release means for the air bag upon deployment.
Thus, what is required is a rear pillar garnish assembly that upon deployment of an air bag allows the air bag to expand into a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle while preventing the other portions of the rear pillar garnish assembly to become airborne in the passenger compartment.